For Always
by QuillandCats
Summary: Symphonic Serpents is a brand new rock band taking England by storm. Why are they determined to secure a gig at Hogwarts, performing for the Yule Ball in Harry's 4th year? What will happen when their presence uncovers hidden secrets, and sets off an incredible chain reaction?
1. Ghosts of your History

FOR ALWAYS

Part 1: "Singer or Saviour, It's Hers To Choose"

Chapter 1: "Memories Tumbling Like Sweets From A Jar"

(A/N: This is the first work of prose fiction I have produced in a long time. Really, a long piece like this was probably a poor choice for getting back into writing, but this story grabbed me by the shoulders, shook me violently, and DEMANDED to be written and posted. I will be revising continuously as I go, as I'm sure my writing is rusty. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

UPDATE: Edited for spelling, grammar, and content errors due to faulty copy job from a word processing program.

IMPORTANT: I write in my spare time between other activities. Updates will not be regular. They will occur when I have the ability to produce content that I feel is good enough to post.

Thank You,

Quillian)

**October 1, 1994**

If you asked any member of the Hogwarts staff what their favorite type of music was, most would provide you a reasonable answer. Perhaps it might be Classical, or Jazz. Perhaps it might be Dolly Parton, or Sarah Brightman. If, at most times, you asked someone what Professor Snape's favorite music, was most would pause and stare at you as if you were mad to even want to know. However, as September faded to October of the year 1994, if you inquired about favorite music around the staff room, the answer would almost unanimously be a resounding "ANYTHING BUT THAT SYMPHONIC SERPENTS GROUP!"

Symphonic Serpents was a North American rock band that was taking the teenage world by storm. In Britain, they were edging out the Weird Sisters on the charts with younger audiences, although less with older audiences. Of course, that meant that the Hogwarts staff, whether fans or not, were sick and tired of hearing about the band (with the notable exceptions of Headmaster Dumbledore and Deputy Headmistress McGonnagall, who adored the music, and Professors Burbage, Sinistra, and Sprout who were apathetic to it.)

Professor Snape, however, had a much more negative reaction to the the band. The first time he heard their music it gave him a headache. A few seconds of the intro left him in moderate pain and nausea, and he could not get through an entire song without a full blown migraine and in consequence, he hated every mention of the music. Privately, he acknowledged it was hatred born of fear, as he had no idea why he reacted so. When he had first seen the posters announcing the album debuting in the UK, his impression was moderately favorable: a group of attractive multi-cultural women in attractive green and black; what heterosexual male Head of Slytherin WOULDN'T like the look of them? But when he heard the music ...

"Albus, I swear I would rather be crucioed!In fact, that's not far off how it makes me feel!" He exploded as Albus Dumbledore bemusedly banished the remains of the music player that had exploded spectacularly at a glare from the Potions Master.

"I do beg your pardon Severus, I was not aware you felt that it a particular song you dislike so, or the style of music…?"

Severus stalked to a chair and sat hunched in it, massaging his temples.

"I don't know, Albus. I feel nauseating irritability followed by literal pain that quickly escalates to excruciating levels. I find pain relief potions lessen it, but nothing cures it completely."

"Well, not to worry, my Boy, wizarding Britain has very few portable music players, unlike America, and even those few that may find their way into Hogwarts can only be used with headphones. I doubt you will hear it very often."

"Not that the brats should be listening to music in a school, anyway," grumbled the Head of Slytherin. The Headmaster just smiled indulgently, while privately resolving to be prepared to mediate any disputes that might come up due to all the reasons the younger man had for potentially being extra irritable. He understood most, if not all of what Severus was NOT saying.

"True, Severus, and of course with all the excitement here this year, I'm sure they won't have time or attention for such."

**November 26, 1994**

Albus Dumbledore discretely approached his Potions Professor as the staff arrived for an emergency Sunday afternoon staff meeting.

"Severus, I just want to let you know, I anticipate you may have a strong reaction to the announcement I will be making, but please, do not trouble yourself, we will meet later to ensure your concerns are handled appropriately."

"Oh?"The raised eyebrow said far more that the single questioning syllable.

"There has been a last-minute need to change the band booked for the Yule Ball."

"Oh?"

"While I'm aware of your personal reactions, I cannot use them as justification for a big fuss.I will not require you to chaperone at all, and I offer my assistance to ward your rooms."

"Albus, what…? Oh. I see."

"We will discuss this later"

**A few minutes later:**

"Thank you all for giving up part of your Sunday afternoons! I'll try to too take too much time. This meeting concerns the planning for the Yule Ball. As you may or may not be aware, the new Rock group Symphonic Serpents has issued a challenge for the contract to perform at the Yule I had a few reservations, they have provided me with a complete set-list with lyrics to ensure that there will be no concerns about whether the content will be age appropriate. In fact, they were more respectful of our sudden change in the age group of the participants that their competitors. As per the terms set out in their challenge, they have won the right to bid for the contract, and I would like to accept the bid, provided there are no objections?"

There were murmurs around the table.

"Albus, are you telling us that we will have Symphonic Serpents performing LIVE at the Yule Ball?" Minerva would deny that she squealed excitedly like a girl at this junction, however her voice was certainly higher than normal.

"Indeed, if no one can think of a reason not to…"

The glare that the Deputy Headmistress leveled at the staff ensured there would be no objections. She found it a little odd that Severus just sat there looking bored by the whole thing, not taking a single crack at anyone, but she was too excited to care.

**9:25 PM on the Night of the Yule Ball**

After half a bottle of alcohol, Severus found his bitterness toward the American band mellowed. After all, he had nothing against the band from a moral or aesthetic standpoint, and his unfortunate physical reaction had provided him with a perfect excuse to spend an evening locked in his quarters with a bottle of whiskey. Albus had insisted, in fact.

The Potions Professor tidied the stack of second year tests he had finished marking and stood to put them away and get the first year pile, which he wanted to finish that night. Unfortunately, he couldn't find searching his quarters, he recalled with a groan that he had left them in the staff room. A glance at the clock showed it was not yet 10 pm, surely he had time to slip up and get them before the ball got too loud for him to avoid more than mild discomfort… He could even take a fairly strong pain relief potion that would not mix poorly with the alcohol as a precaution. Decision made, he gulped down a generous dosage of the blue potion and slipped out of his rooms.

The route to the staff room required several detours to navigate without running into excited students and staff. Once there, he shrunk the papers and pocketed them, and hurried to try and regain his rooms. It was still not quite 10, he opted for a more direct route that passed close to the main hall, as despite the pain potion he wanted to be behind good wards by the time the music started. The dark passage was deserted and he was striding down it quickly when he turned a corner straight into a wave of sound.

For a few moments he wondered dazedly if a tsunami had somehow found its way into Hogwarts, for he seemed to feel and intense crushing pressure trying to destroy him, and his senses were completely overwhelmed. The tiny corner of his mind that remained rational and snarky noted that this was definitely NOT a migraine. He thought he felt the rough stone of the wall as he slid down it, instinctively dropping his head to his knees as if to stave off a fainting spell.

He might have blacked out, or he might have just drifted in limbo for a short while. However after a while he realized he had been wrong about the nature of the problem from the start. It wasn't a physical reaction, but a mental one. The sound bombarding him started to slowly become recognizable as music, but it was still triggering reactions he did not understand. The sensation was changing, it was less pain and more like pressure that was building. He forgot where he was and what he was doing, forgot everything except the forces at work inside his own head.

Albus cursed in his head as the castle wards alerted him to something wrong in a rarely used corridor close to where the teachers accessed the Great Hall. He cursed out loud when he saw Severus curled in a ball on the floor, arms locked around his knees, head down. He called the man's name and got no response. Every muscle in his body was rigid, and he didn't so much as twitch when the Headmaster laid a hand on his shoulder. Albus decided to wait a little bit and see if Severus snapped out of it on his own, as the man hated to be fussed over. He sat down with a Sherbet Lemon to observe.

Two candies later Severus stirred. He raised his head and stared at the Headmaster, who rose and approached him cautiously.

"Severus, are you alright?" To Albus' surprise, a soft smile flitted across the normally grim man's face. Severus rolled his shoulders to get rid of any lingering stiffness from the unusual position he had been in and got to his feet.

"Yes, Albus, I'm quite well now. I hope I did not worry you?"

"Somewhat, my Boy, but I know you don't like to be coddled… so I just stayed with you."

"I apologise for taking you away from more pleasant duties, Headmaster. I have determined that those odd migraines were in fact a bad reaction that affected my occlumency. The stronger I made my shields, the worse it got. I believe the situation is now completely resolved."

"Wonderful, Severus! But what on Earth could have caused it?"

Severus hesitated. He wanted to trust his old mentor but the truth was incredible. And dangerous. He would need to consider many possible angles. He would have to stall, mix truth with lies until he was sure it was safe.

"I cannot give you all the details, but do you recall the potions conference I attended some years ago in Italy? And how I was rather ill upon returning? I never told anyone the full story but what happened was that there was an accident that caused temporary mild amnesia. As soon as I was reminded of the parts of my life that were lost, the memories resurfaced with some mild discomfort. However I met and became friendly with a young lady during the conference, and hoped to stay in touch with her, but I never saw or heard from her after the accident so the memories remained buried under successively more layers of mental development. Now those memories have resurfaced, after battering their way through years of occlumency."

"Good Grief, Severus, no wonder you were suffering so!I hope she can understand it was not your fault you never contacted her."

Severus snorted in amusement but maintained an otherwise calm demeanor. He knew she wasn't upset, she would not have crossed barriers insurmountable to most in order to find him after they were separated if she hadn't guessed it was not his fault. He was still reeling from the knowledge of what had happened, what a precious gift he had been given, and the power he now had to share that gift.

"I think she will understand, Albus, however I'm sure an apology wouldn't hurt. I'm sure you must be due back at the ball, I'll accompany you and perhaps you can help me think of a suitable way for me to express myself?"

"Delighted to, Dear Boy! Do you recall if she prefers a traditional approach like flowers, or something more personal?"

"Not cut flowers, although walks in nature were appreciated in clement weather."

"But wait, Severus, you cannot stand this music, why would YOU accompany ME?

"This music is what was triggering the memories, and the occlumency reaction. I met her when she sat down at a café after singing for change on a street corner. Now that my mind is not at war with itself, I can freely enjoy it, and I fully intend to!"

The two men were still chatting as they slipped into the Great Hall. The students seemed to be enjoying themselves, dancing and some were even singing along to the piece that was winding down. The professors were slowly strolling through the hall, keeping an eye on everything. Minerva passed them as they meandered in the direction of the stage set up where the teachers normally dined. The lead singer of Symphonic Serpents stepped to the side of the stage, drained a glass of water and returned to her microphone.

"Since we fully intend to rock on as long as we can here tonight, we'll be taking the first of a few brief breaks now to fuel up!"

The bassist chimed in, "Yeah, let's all grab a snack to keep this awesome energy going!"

The lead singer smiled and added, "Personally, I'd love a good cup of tea! Good thing we're in England!"

"Good thing indeed!" The Potions Master murmured to Albus. The headmaster raised an eyebrow as he followed the younger man, who was murmuring a string of spells that resulted in a conjured teacup full of warm tea. They skirted the 2-foot-high stage to the back corner where the band was relaxing and "fueling up". Pitching his voice to reach their ears, Severus spoke.

"I believe someone requested a good cup of tea?"

Albus was shocked, and a little concerned. The snarky spy's gallant behavior made no sense. He stared as the lead singer, a short woman in a black and green corset, short black leather skirt and thigh-high black boots turned and took the teacup floating in the air toward her. She took a sip, eyes never leaving the tall, black-haired man who had offered it. She raised one eyebrow.

"Yes, "Severus replied to the silent question, "I remember how you like your tea. I remember a lot of important things now."

Then the Headmaster understood. This was the woman who had been singing in the street in Italy, which explained why her singing now had broken through the memory blocks. Now she was grinning down at Severus, who was looking back up at her with a little smile curling up one corner of his mouth. She stepped to the edge of the stage and handed back the cup and banished them with a flick of his hand and reached for hers. She leaned down, resting her hand on his shoulder and said,

"We have a few moments 'til we start again…"

The Potions Master lost no time in placing his hands on her waist and lifting her down. She immediately wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, which he returned. When she loosened her grip, she leaned back with a slight frown and inquired,

"Are you ok?"

A rueful look crossed Severus's face. "You and your nose! I'm fine can talk more later. I'll stay for the show."

Her face relaxed back into a happy smile."I'm glad I found you, finally. I was worried when you disappeared, but I reckoned it would have been hard for you to contact me... Drat. I have to get back on stage."

Severus adjusted his grip on her, and took a deep breath, concentrating as he channeled his magic into levitating them both up to the stage, an impressively showy piece of magic for someone who normally tended to fade into the background. He leaped silently back to the floor and strolled back to the dumbfounded headmaster.

"Shall we partake of refreshments, Albus? I'm sure you have questions, and I have consumed alcohol and pain potions on an empty stomach."

Dear Readers, how's that for getting my first piece of writing in 10 years off the ground? Don't worry if some parts are a little cryptic, there is much to reveal as we go along! Cheers, Quillian

(Footnote: Part 1 of this story is inspired by and dedicated to Joan Baez, and chapters will be quotations from her song "Winds of the Old Days".)


	2. Breath on an Undying Ember

Part 1: "Singer or Saviour, It's Hers To Choose"

Chapter 2: " Breath on an Undying Ember"

(A/N On to Chapter 2! In case anyone is wondering, yes, some of the content of these first few chapters is cryptic, and yes, Severus (and possibly others) are a little out of character. There is a reason for this, which will come to light as the mystery unravels.

IMPORTANT: I write in my spare time between other activities. Updates will not be regular. They will occur when I have the ability to produce content that I feel is good enough to post.

Thank You,

Quillian)

Chapter 2: "Breath on an Undying Ember"

Albus did, indeed, have questions. He managed with heroic patience to wait until his Potions Master had filled a plate with pasties, meat pies, and other eatables from the refreshments table, and retreated to a corner with a ledge he could sit on, before saying anything. Severus glanced at him sidelong and had to smirk at the giddy look on his mentor's face.

"Alright, Albus, ask away."

"Severus, I hardly know where to start! Exactly HOW well do you know this woman? And what is her name, anyway?"

"Her name is, legally at least, Camille. She is not fond of it, however, and tends to use a wide variety of nicknames. While my memories are still a tad scrambled, I would say I know her quite well. While our time together was quite short, I found her remarkably easy to trust and to talk to."

"Hmmm. I find trust to be a strange word for you to use, Severus."

"You mean strange I could bring myself to trust someone enough to let them inside my walls within the space of a week?" Some sharpness was audible in Severus' tone, but it receded quickly. "Perhaps. I suppose it was simply a case that neither of us expected more than pleasant company, which created an absence of the usual pressures one may feel in a social situation; pressures which tend to cause negative traits to emerge. We both seemed to enjoy the conversations we had when we shared a table at the Convention Centre café."

Albus raised a cynical eyebrow at the Potions Master's speech. "But how could all this have started? You mean to tell me that either you tolerated someone joining you at a table, or that you voluntarily sat down with someone?"

Severus snorted and finished chewing and swallowing a mouthful of meat pie. "It was very busy and my favorite table in the back corner was taken that day," he explained drily, "so I sat by the window. Camille was busking not far away, and I rather enjoyed the selection she was performing. Thanks to me covering the table with notes and scowling at them, the chair across from me was the only empty seat in the cafe. I suppose I was amused that she asked me specifically if she could use only the chair, promising not to spill tea on my papers. It certainly amused me how she raked the server over the coals for making her tea wrong."

"Oh, Severus!" Albus rolled his eyes at such a quintessentially Severus Snape thing to appreciate about a woman he just met.

"Oh, Albus!" Snape retorted. "But at least I will never forget how she likes her tea. Well, never if I don't get my head rearranged again."

The Headmaster reflected on that. Snape's words rang true, and he had already observed the two shared a strangely close bond for an antisocial spy-turned-teacher and a gothic rock singer. In fact…

"Why did she ask you if you were alright, earlier?"

"She is very in tune with her surroundings and has a remarkable sense of smell for organic processes. She could likely smell from the composition of my sweat that I had recently been in severe pain or distress. I should freshen up a bit, I suppose, but I do not wish to just leave the event."

The Headmaster stole a pastry and chewed it thoughtfully. "If you would like to go to your rooms to change, I could let her know if she looks for you?"

"Thnak-you, but no. The musical sets will be short, I do not wish to miss the next break."

The twinkle in Professor Dumbledore's eyes intensified as he watched Severus transfigure the plate into a box to store the remaining food in, and murmur a few charms to clean his clothes without changing. The removal of creases and dust did improve his look, but not by much. '_I wonder…'_ he thought to himself. Using the privilege and magic of being Headmaster, he summoned something from his chambers and bent the wards slightly to avoid it having to zoom through the halls of the school. A bundle of forest green fabric popped into existence in his arms.

"Severus, while your charms have done wonders, perhaps you might like to borrow this dress robe? It was given to me and I find it much to somber for my tastes, but it might be more comfortable than your teaching robes?"

The Head of Slytherin stared at what Albus was showing him, and of course his immediate reaction was to refuse with a sneer, but then his brain caught up and he stifled the urge. The garment was nothing like his mentor's usual garish monstrosities, it was tasteful and elegant, albeit rather Victorian. The dark green silk was subtly textured, and there was decorative topstitching in dark gold thread on the collar and front opening. The wide sleeves would go to the elbows and it had an open cut in the front which would show part of what was worn underneath. It was certainly much for suitable for a Yule Ball than his current attire, which was rather warm as well as the opposite of festive.

"Well, I suppose I might as well try it, Albus." The two men ducked out of the hall while Severus removed his teaching robes and slipped on Albus' offering over his usual high-necked black shirt, black pants and boots. Albus nodded enthusiastically and gave him a beaming thumbs-up, so he shrunk his robes enough to slip them in his pants pocket, along with the box of food.

"Thanks, Albus… I truly appreciate your support and help… not just right now but always."

"Think nothing of it my dear boy, you have had a rough road up to this point, but I'm sure if you play your cards right you can have a wonderful time with this young lady! Why don't you keep those robes, I'm sure I will never need or want them."

Severus met the bright eyes of his mentor, and for a dizzying moment he could barely breathe for the pressure of the knowledge he now held in his mind, and the fear of what could come to pass in the future. A quick glance around assured him that they were alone, and he impulsively stepped forward and embraced the older man in a fierce, tight hug. Albus was rigid for a moment, then returned the gesture, sensing somehow, that it had little to do with gifting a dress robe. Then the Potions master spun on his heel and returned to the Great Hall, feeling oddly light without heavy wool billowing about him.

The bass and drums were keeping time as the music rose to a crescendo, and many students were stomping and whirling on the dance floor. While the volume was a bit much for Severus' personal tastes, it was a good performance. He knew the lyrics quite well and could appreciate the intelligence of the songwriter. The piece finished with a flourish from the band, and some cheers and applause from the students (and teachers). This time a full 30-minute intermission was announced, and Severus moved toward the stage. The lead singer looked at him and cocked her head questioningly. Severus kept walking steadily toward her, back straight and head high. She smiled, crouched, and hopped off the stage and came to meet him. Around the Potions Master the students excited chatter trailed off as they realized what was happening. The murmurs started as he offered her his arm, and she took it with a smile.

"Walk with me? I have refreshments." He muttered in her ear. She nodded, and they left the hall. Severus led her outside and they strolled through the grounds.

"Severus, we need to talk, as soon as possible," she said after a brief silence.

"Yes, but not here, not tonight. In private, so we can determine what to do. I can hardly believe all that has happened…"

"Yes, I know." There was bitterness in her soft tone. "It took me a while to figure things out. I've been trying to reach you for six months. Seems I finally hit on an idea just crazy enough to work! I mean, me, in a rock band!"

"Well, you do it splendidly!" The warmth in Severus's voice would have been strange to anyone listening. "It's like you have been doing it for years! Speaking of which, I told Albus that we met in Italy, when I was at a Potions Conference and you were busking nearby. We met at a café and I was amused that you sent your tea back as it was not made how you asked. I know it's not quite – " Severus cut himself off, no need to risk that a student nearby could overhear. "I didn't have much time to tell him SOMETHING," he concluded.

"Really? Then why say anything at all?"

"My memories came back during your first set. Here. Tonight." If one knew him well, one could detect faint agitation in the former spy's voice. "He found me with my mind scrambled. I knew I was going to go see you, and I had to explain to him enough he wouldn't have me committed to St. Mungo's for insanity. Before today, hearing your music was causing me migraines, it would have been too strange to suddenly become a fan with no explanation."

"Okay, I understand. Good to know. But we'll tell, the whole story later, right?" Camille looked up at him, eyes wide with worry. Severus wanted to kiss her so badly it almost hurt, but held back, not sure how she would react after so much had come between them. He settled for cracking a smile at her and placing his hand over hers where it rested on his arm.

"Of course, it's Christmas Holidays now, there will be time soon."

"True. Alright, so tell me, how has your year been so far? Has it been all explosions and detentions?"

With a snort, Severus accepted the change of subject and proceeded to make small talk while feeding her bites of the pastries he had boxed up for her. They looped around and returned to the castle, arriving around 25 minutes after they left. As they crossed the entrance hall, who should come down the stairs in a swirl of festive tartan but Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. The Potions Master met her eye squarely and nodded a greeting.

"Minerva, may I present Camille, lead singer of Symphonic Serpents? Camille, Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and your number one fan at Hogwarts."

"Such a pleasure to meet you miss! We are so happy to have you here performing for us!" Minerva shook the singer's hand firmly with a warm smile. Camille grinned back.

"The pleasure is ours, Professor, and especially mine! I'll pass it along. I have to return to the stage, but I hope we can get to know each other better. And thank-you, Severus for a lovely walk!"

"You are most welcome!" Severus' deep voice followed her as she strode back to her band mates, balancing admirably in her high heeled platforms. He made to follow but Minerva stopped him.

" 'A lovely walk', Severus? WHAT is going on here? You KNOW her?"

"As it turns out, yes, Minerva. She is very good friend of mine."

"A VERY good friend, indeed, I would have to say, Severus, seeing as you are squiring her around, dressed up, and nary a scowl to be seen on your face!" Professor McGonagall teased.

"It was not precisely planned, I had no idea she was in the group until this evening, but when I found out, Albus was kind enough to lend me something to wear tonight."

Professor McGonagall's eyes narrowed. "Severus, you never mentioned her til now, and suddenly you arepractically courting her… Are you feeling alright?"

For a moment Severus panicked. He had hoped to rein in his emotions enough to avoid notice, but Minerva knew him too well. He WAS acting out of character, for good reason, but still it would attract attention. He needed an excuse; fortunately spying had made him good at that. He lowered his voice so only she could hear him.

"Minerva, to be frank, I'm nervous as hell. I lost touch with her for a few years, but she is not holding it against me, so I may have a second chance with her. I have lost a lot, as you know, I suppose I'm finally ready to 'man up' and fight for my own future."

The frown lines smoothed themselves from her face, as a happy feeling for her colleague filled her. She patted his arm. "I see, Severus. Thank you for telling me, it puts my mind at ease. And I'm glad to hear things are looking up for you."

"Hmph. Now let us return to the hall, we have a show to enjoy and students to supervise."

The Deputy Headmistress smiled slyly at the younger man. He might be in a softer mood due to the presence of his "friend", he was still himself underneath it all.


	3. Stars Often Fall

Part 1: "Singer or Saviour, It's Hers To Choose"

Chapter 3: "Stars Often Fall"

(A/N Ok, the plot thickens! More hints are being dropped. Plus, the characters are starting to gain life of their own. For instance, I told Sev and Cam to stick to small talk in the grounds, but Cam just couldn't stop talking about their big secret! In case anyone is wondering, yes, some of the content of these first few chapters is cryptic, and yes, Severus (and possibly others) are a little out of character. There is a reason for this, which will come to light as the mystery unravels.

This chapter made me fight for every paragraph, but in a good way since I'm really stretching my Author-Wings with this story. I also found a few errors in previous chapters from copying the text from another file type. Hoping to do some edits while working on Chapter 4.

IMPORTANT: I write in my spare time between other activities. Updates will not be regular. They will occur when I have the ability to produce content that I feel is good enough to post.

Thank You,

Quillian)

Chapter 3: "Stars Often Fall"

**December 26, 1994, around 8:30am**

Albus Dumbledore did not normally drink coffee, but he did find it pleasant if he had obtained less than 7 hours sleep the night prior. After the Yule Ball, he and Severus and a few others had cleaned the hall. The Potions Professor had asked permission to leave the castle to have breakfast at the Hogshead, where the band were staying until they left later that day. The Headmaster smiled fondly to himself at the memory of seeing the prickly, bitter man softened by the feelings he clearly had for the frontwoman of Symphonic Serpents. Also, it seemed she returned those feelings. He frowned slightly as a thought crossed his mind: Severus would be in a foul temper when the band left Hogsmeade to finish their tour. He knew the younger man would be plagued with insecurities having a lover away on tour. However, he put aside the thought for later, and returned to eavesdropping on the gossip from the night before as students and teachers gradually woke and made their way to breakfast. Many of the first to arrive were the younger students, who had not been to the ball, but gradually the fourth years and older students began drifting in, mostly in clusters, chattering amongst each other.

"Did you see, Krum went with GRANGER…."

"Man, those singers were hot!" "Yeah!"

"I'm glad we have a few more days before class starts, I'm too tired to study today…"

"Did you see Snape with the chick from the band?" "Yeah, they went for a walk on the grounds!" "You think she fancies him?" "Weird, but maybe…"

"Potter looked like an idiot on the dance floor, no wonder Patil left him."

"So weird seeing everyone in fancy clothes!"

Albus smiled, he just loved the energy and thought processes of young minds. He went back to he scrambled eggs and toast, but the nagging worry of how Severus would cope with his lady leaving would not let him be. He hoped he could support the younger man, and that he didn't do anything rash, although the mental image of Severus running away in love-sick desperation to join the band made him chuckle.

"And why do you find your toast so funny, Albus?" inquired Professor McGonagall.

"Just my mind playing tricks on me, Minerva, as I hope for the best and prepare for the worst. The usual."

"Well, it looks like a quiet day, as most will be too tired to do much." Minerva mused. "I think I'll finish my Deputy paperwork before tackling the rest of my marking. Will you join me?"

"Splendid plan! Your office or mine?"

"Yours for the administrative work, I think, Albus. You have some files I may need. I ought to be in mine for the marking later, though, in case students are looking for me."

"Understood, my dear Head of Gryffindor! If you have eaten, shall we make our way up?"

"Indeed, Albus." The two professors left the head table heading for the main doors. "Should we expect a visit from Severus at some point, do you think?"

"It wouldn't surprise me, Minerva." They reached the doors. "Ladies first, after you. In fact I am expecting him to want company when a certain band leaves town, not that he'll admit it, of course!"

"Of course – why, speak of the devil – Good Gracious!"

At Minerva's disjointed words and surprised tone, Albus turned to follow her gaze, and he quickly appreciated her feelings. Crossing the threshold of the Entrance hall were Severus and Camille. Severus was still in his same clothes from the previous night, although they looked rumpled as if rather than going to bed he had dozed in a chair before leaving the castle earlier that morning. Camille was wearing what could only be Severus' teaching robes, seemingly shrunk a bit but still not fitting properly. She was holding a large handful of material in one hand to avoid tripping, and was gripping the Potions Master's arm with the other.

That fact coupled with the tense look of both their faces told the Headmaster that something bad had happened.

"Severus? Miss…? Is something the matter? I thought you two would be having breakfast at the Hogs Head."

Severus sighed. "There was a change of plans, Albus. We need to talk to you. Can we have breakfast here? We haven't eaten yet, and it was a long cold walk."

"Why don't you join Minerva and I in my office? I'll send for breakfast." The headmaster beamed jovially, hoping to cheer them up. Camille did perk up a bit at the offer of food, and Severus at least did not look against the idea. Upon reaching the Headmaster's office, Albus conjured a couple of extra chairs and cleared a small table, which he tapped with his wand while murmuring under his breath. Some covered plates popped into existence.

"There you go, Severus, I already know what you like. And how about you, Miss?"

"I would love something sweet and warm, if it's alright please?"

Albus' eyes flashed kindly. "How about some American-style waffles and bacon?"

Her eyes brightened with gratitude. "Thank you!"

A wand movement later and she was seated next to the Potions master happily eating breakfast. Albus noted that Severus also ate well, better than he often did. When he had finished over half his meal, he looked up at the patiently waiting Headmaster and deputy Headmistress and remarked,

"Well, go on, ask away."

There was silence for a moment or two, then Minerva burst out, "Do we WANT to know why the young lady is borrowing your clothes, Severus?"

A smirk crept onto his face. "You do if you want a good chuckle. I think the story of Camille's spirit will appeal to your Gryffindor sensibilities." The lady in question looked like she couldn't decide whether to blush or laugh. She took a deep breath and began speaking softly.

"I got up early to wait for Severus, and while I was waiting when Sophia - the guitarist - caught me while she was going to the loo. I told her I had a breakfast date. She seemed interested and supportive at first. I told her I wanted to leave the band for at least a while after the tour. I don't quite know what it was that set her off, and frankly I'm not sure I care much. We always clashed, she always wanted to control everything, and normally I don't stand for that but I put up with her to be polite until I got what I wanted out of our deal. But as she went on and on and started yelling at me, I realised I don't need her and the band any more, I got what I wanted: the chance to travel to England to find Severus.

"So I kinda lost my temper on her. All the times I put up with her bullying abusive ways just came back to me and I told her flat out she could respect my contribution to the band and stop treating me like dirt or I would leave right there and then. She thought I was bluffing. She told me if I broke the "contract" - which was never put in writing - then I would leave with nothing the band ever gave or lent me. That's when I'm ashamed to admit I lost my temper completely."

Severus slyly piped up, "And that's when I arrived at their door, which was slightly open."

Camille chuckled at him and continued. "Sophia ALWAYS forgets to shut doors behind her. I'm lucky it was Severus, not someone else coming to see what the ruckus was, as I had just pulled off the dress SHE had lent me back in America and thrown it at her face. I think I said something like, 'The only reason I put up with you this long was to get to England, and now I'm here you can take your clothes and your band and your everything, cause I QUIT!'. And then Severus knocked on the door."

"I didn't quite know what was happening," Severus broke in, "But the volume seemed to be escalating and I suppose I wanted to avoid getting caught up in bigger trouble."

"It did help," Camille said confidently. "It derailed Sophia enough that she stormed off back to bed or something. I borrowed this robe from Severus and we left. Drat. I should have stopped and talked to Mr Aberforth about getting a job there after the Serpents leave."

"Likely best to let them leave first, in case they cause more trouble that you wouldn't want to be associated with, my dear." Albus said blandly. His eyes were kind, though, and he winked at Severus, who inclined his head slightly in silent understanding.

"Indeed!" Added Minerva firmly. "Not to mention you can't go job hunting wearing THAT!"

Camille smiled gratefully at her, then her expression slackened and she paled. She stood abruptly and turned to Severus.

"Severus, my wallet, I left it there! It wasn't much, but without I have literally not a cent to my name!"

In a flash he was back into Professor Snape persona.

"Albus, contact Aberforth and see if he can retrieve it. If they give him trouble, I'll floo over and sort it out."

Professor Dumbledore hurried to floo his brother, but when Albus explained, the other shook his head sadly.

"Sorry, Albus, they're gone. returned the keys around 10 minutes ago and I just inspected the rooms, nothing's there except a bit of rubbish."

As Albus turned away from the fireplace, Camille pressed her lips together, strightened her spine and lifted her chin.

"I hope Sophia didn't plan on me crawling back, because that will never happen." Her tone was icy. "Fortunately, I'm good at a lot more than looking pretty on a stage."

The deputy Headmistress took her hands, uncurled the fingers from the fists they had formed, and patted them comfortingly.

"Of that, I have no doubt. It's a shame the way some people will behave if they think they can get away with it. You said your contract was not written down? That's a shame, Lass, she ought to have the law brought down on her for running off on you like that!"

Camille's expression softened. "In the end I suppose it's best to just cut ties. I appreciate your defense of me but I am sure Sophia is convinced SHE is the victim here. If she doesn't think so now, she will when she tries to put out another bestselling album and has to work three times as hard to produce new hit material. Please, understand, I planned to finish the tour with them, and while I did lose my temper, I swear I don't do that often, and I thought I would return after breakfast to apologize."

"Eh, Lass you're talking to the head of the Lion house here at Hogwarts, I'll not judge you for flying off the handle once in a while, especially when it comes to bullies. And I highly doubt your man there will judge you either," she finished with a wink.

"Indeed," purred a smooth baritone behind her as strong, lean hands came to rest on her shoulders. "Now, come sit with me on this incredibly garish sapphire settee. You need to finish your breakfast, Albus needs to stop worrying, and I will help you write a list of your marketable skills."

The Headmaster and deputy Headmistress exchanged thoughtful looks. Severus Snape was by no means a man who fussed and fluttered, but as his closest friends the two of them could clearly see the concern and caring behind his words and actions. They both realised that the outcome of the next little while was of the utmost importance to the younger man, as it would decide the short term future of someone he was clearly coming to care deeply for. They were both wondering, however, how the young lady would handle the depths of passion and devotion Severus was capable of lavishing on one he deemed worthy, and whether she would, in fact, prove worthy. Albus thought she might well be worthy, since he had picked up on the fact that she had mentioned multiple times that she had been seeking him since their brief meeting in Italy, despite never hearing from him again. Minerva was more cautiously optimistic, determined to provide what support would be reasonable to encourage the budding romance, while making sure she would be there to comfort her colleague if said romance turned to ash.

A giggle roused them from their thoughts.

"Alright, Severus, I'm eating! I take it you recall how grumpy I get when hungry?"

"I do," came the dry reply, "and I would like to keep my title of Scariest Person In The Room, thank you very much! Now, marketable skills?"

"Well, I have quite a lot of experience in customer service of various types, and I tend to gravitate toward management and leadership positions. I'm good at training and teaching, I pay attention to details most of the time, but I tend to also be good at picking out patterns so I'm good at troubleshooting."

As Severus scribbled down Camille's words, the Headmaster jumped in.

"Splendid, my dear! And what kinds of things are you good at doing?"

She shifted in her seat slightly to face him and finished a bite of sausage.

"I'm good with people in a professional setting, I like to organise things, and I'm pretty solid with time and resource management. I can sew, knit, crochet, and spin yarn. I can cook reasonably well, I can clean most things. I'm not afraid to study and learn new things."

"Not to mention you have excellent speaking and writing skills in French and English, and you can communicate minimally in... how many languages?" Severus added.

"I can stumble along in German and Italian, I wouldn't count that as 'speaking' ". Camille retorted.

Albus cut in. "French! Why that's marvelous, we have a delegation here from a French school, perhaps you can be of assistance to them?"

"Albus," Minerva kept her voice carefully level, "I think we need to address the elephant in the room. You and Severus both want to her to be hired on here, don't you?"

There was a brief silence, broken by a snort from Camille. "I appreciate the sentiment but let's be realistic here: I'm not qualified to work for a prestigious school of magic. I have no formal magical education, in fact, my magical abilities don't even work the same way yours do here. I'm more of an ambient mage, and I'm basically self-taught"

Albus Dumbledore was no stranger to tough, thorny, tangled problems. He sat back in his chair and sucked on a lemon drop while reviewing the situation, replaying what he had heard and seen so far. He watched Minerva lower her eyes and bite her lip, clearly sad to feel compelled by her conscience to 'play bad cop'. He watched Severus take Camille's hand and grip it tightly like he never planned to let go. And he watched Camille lay her hand gently on top of Severus' and squeeze it once, gently, as if to reassure him. Then he watched Severus slowly relax his grip. And that subtle by-play told him that there was something happening between them, something that could transcend the ordinary. For Severus to trust someone enough to let them go was a magical love the like of which he rarely saw, and he was wise enough to know its worth. He would fight for them, simply because he could see that they had decided to fight for each other. He steepled his fingers together and leaned forward slightly.

"I can't quite tell what job you would be most suited for, Miss, so for the moment I would like to offer you a position as General Assistant. It would entail assisting various staff members, under my direction, with various odd jobs. This year we are hosting a very special even which has certainly caused extra work, and I would be a fool to turn away someone who may be of use. Once you demonstrate proficiency, you will have the option to advance and specialize."

"Albus!" Minerva stood up in agitation. "Are you quite insa - ? While I'm sure this is a lovely young woman, is this really... the best use of her skills?" She ended with a slightly apologetic tone. Camille exchanged a look with Severus, and spoke up.

"Madame Deputy, you raise an excellent point, however I cannot in good conscience refuse such a wonderful offer. May I, perhaps suggest a compromise? A probationary period during which clear goals would be laid out and if I fail to meet them then I will seek elsewhere with no hard feelings. I understand your concerns, but I believe I can lay them to rest better with my actions than with words."

Professor McGonnagall was momentarily taken aback. Certainly the calm, professional tone reassured her somewhat. Also the suggestion was quite reasonable, and almost risk-free. The Headmaster was nodding and his eyes were twinkling madly.

"Well, Minerva, I feel quite reassured by this proposed plan. Let us discuss it further over the next day or two, and put it all in writing. For the moment I think the priority would be resting and getting organised for the young lady in question." Albus said serenely but firmly, then turned to Camille "I promise, my dear, that I will assign you some short term contract work to allow you some income and proof of employment so you can rent something close by in Hogsmeade. Perhaps Aberforth would have a suite you can rent after the Holidays."

Camille rose from the settee and approached the Headmaster's desk, extending her hand to shake. "Thank you, sir, I greatly appreciate your trust, and I shall do my best not to let you down!"

The Headmaster shook it and beamed at her, and she responded with a smile. Severus came over, and laid a hand on her shoulder. He nodded at his employer, a small grateful smile curling at the corners of his mouth. Albus wasn't always the easiest man to work for, but his fierce devotion to his people and his cunning perceptions mostly made all the headaches worth it. Severus vowed to try his hardest to appreciate the man more, and to fight harder to protect him, neon robes and lemon drops and all.

"Let us take the Headmaster up on his suggestion to rest, Cam, neither of us has slept well, and soon enough we will be quite busy."

She tilted her head back to send him a sunny smile, and again he wanted to kiss her so badly it almost hurt.

"Alright, Severus, that does sound sensible

**December 26, 1994, around 10:30am**

"I can't wait to show off Hogwarts to you, Cam, but later, alright?". In the deserted hall, Severus' low voice still rang clearly. He was escorting her along little used corridors towards his chambers, moving as quickly as possible, but the lack of sleep after an exciting night was catching up to them. By the time they reached his suite, Cam barely had enough energy to look around.

In his bedroom, he found an old pair of pyjamas that he shrunk down to fit her and nudged her toward the bathroom to change and wash up if she wanted.

"Severus?" Her voice came floating through the door. "Where can I put my contacts?"

"What sort of container do you need?" He called back.

"Er, never mind actually, I don't have any fluid to keep them in."

"Sorry, neither have I. I have magical preservation fluids but I don't know how they would react to muggle contacts."

"S'alright, I don't need them any more, I prefer my glasses."

A few minutes later she wandered out with a bundle of her undergarments and Severus' robes. He told her to dump them on a chair to be sorted for cleaning later. They each crawled in one side of the bed and within a few minutes were both asleep.

Around noon, Severus woke, slightly disoriented to be waking up in the middle of the day. Then he recalled the preceding 15 hours. He got up as quietly as he could to avoid disturbing Camille, but she rolled over, sighed and opened her eyes as his weight left the bed.

"I'm getting up now so I'll be able to sleep tonight." He told her.

"Good idea, can I join you doing... whatever?" She sat up and rubbed her eyes squinting at him. He quirked an eyebrow at her, and drawled,

"Well, I'm going to have a shower...?"

The implied question hung in the air while she considered it and it's implications. She decided that here in the privacy of her lover's rooms it would be pointless, even hurtful, to pretend their relationship was less developed then it actually was. She nodded and grinned while throwing back the covers.

"Good plan, I need one too. I still have makeup and hairspray residue on me. I'll join you."

Now the smile did more than lurk at the corners of the Potions Master's mouth, it lit up his entire face. He was thrilled that she was not holding back or acting coy, despite the long separation. He remembered why he was so attracted to her at first. Her directness tempered by intelligence and humour challenged him without threatening him. There was a spring in his step as he fetched spare towels, a black one for him and a green one for her.

During the time they spent under the warm spray their interactions became quite flirtatious, although nothing escalated much past that. Both reveled in the quiet gentle intimacy and total comfort of each other's presence. Severus washed her, even her hair, and she let him, knowing he needed to take care of her. He let her help wash him though. She wanted to run her soapy fingers over his skin, and she needed to remind him that she didn't mind his scars. As they stood rinsing off the last vestiges of soap (and in Cam's case, hair conditioner) she wrapped her hands around his throat, exerting no pressure, just feeling the skin. Her gaze traveled up his chest, along the lines of his neck, past his jaw, lingering on his lips a moment, before meeting his intense stare. Then he did stoop, wrapping his arms around her, and he kissed her mouth slowly and sensually. When they needed to breathe, she rested her forehead on his collar bones and he laid his chin on her head.

Once they were dry, Severus found some loose black pants and a long dark blue shirt that with a few minor alterations to size she could wear. All she had of her own was underwear, a corset, socks, her fancy rocker boots, a few hair accessories, and her glasses. A few strong cleaning charms made it all wearable again. She wore the corset under the shirt, since it was the closest thing she had to a bra, and asked to borrow a belt to wear the shirt like a tunic. She shook out her long damp hair to help it dry faster and retrieved her glasses from beside the bed.

"Let's have a light lunch here," the Head of Slytherin suggested, "and then maybe see if some shops are open to start getting you ready for professional life at Hogwarts. And before you even think of arguing, shopping is on me, I owe you from when we first met.". He mock glared at her, until she replied calmly,

"I shall consider it an investment in our mutual pursuit of spending time together."

**December 26, 1994, between 12:30 and 1:00pm, Elsewhere in the Castle**

Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were also eating around that time, although their meal was more like brunch than lunch, as they had all slept late after the ball. There was considerable tension between Ron and Hermione, but Harry had insisted they all eat together as he had something to tell them, and he didn't want to make thing worse by telling one first.

"Alright, Harry, what is it you saw last night?" Hermione asked between bites of sandwich. She really was curious, and wondered if it had anything to do with any of the rumours she had heard snippets of earlier.

"Guys, you will NEVER guess who I saw out walking with a WOMAN last night when I was outside!" As harry bounced in his seat, Hermione looked thoughtful. She actually did have a guess, but decided not to spoil Harry's story.

"Who, mate?" Ron asked.

"Professor SNAPE! And I think it was a member of the band 'cause she had on fancy boots and a short skirt and a skimpy top like theirs and everything! I think he LIKES her!" Harry could not stop grinning, pleased for once to have gossip to share that wasn't painting him in a bad light.

"You have got to be joking!" Ron cried out

"Ron!" Hermione hissed at him. "Harry, are you sure?"

"Dead sure, you guys! They walked right past where I was, didn't even see me I reckon, otherwise I'd probably have a detention just for existing or something."

"Wow, mate, that's just... Wow!" Ron shook his head in disbelief.

"It does seem a bit out of character,". Hermione relected, "but then a lot of teachers were acting more relaxed than usual last night. And maybe it's not a bad thing, he doesn't seem to have many friends."

"Who would want to be his friend?" Ron asked with a frown.

"Seems like that woman did." Harry wasn't completely comfortable with admitting it but it was the truth. "They seemed really close, even like they were having a good time together."

Ron thought about it for a moment then shrugged. "Well maybe if he gets a social life he'll stop torturing Gryffindors for fun?"

Hermione huffed at his choice of words but agreed with the sentiment. As they finished their meal, the talk turned to other Yule Ball gossip, although they agreed that Professor Snape's behavior was certainly the most dramatic thing witnessed.

There you go! Over 4,000 words! That's a record for me. My goal is between 2500 - 4000 words per chapter but there will be some exceptions as plot and pacing dictate. I must say I'm really out of practice writing the Golden Trio, so I'll have to practice in short segments because they will feature quite a bit later in the story. Next up, shopping, and what Draco will think of his godfather's new "friend".


	4. Hovering Near Treacherous Waters

FOR ALWAYS

Part 1: "Singer or Saviour, It's Hers To Choose"

Chapter 4: "Hovering Near Treacherous Waters"

(A/N: This chapter is shaping up to be a big one, with a lot of content, including some important character and plot development. Time to introduce Draco! Hope I can pull off writing him! Don't hesitate to provide feedback if things start getting confusing. I want to be mysterious, but not confusing. If all goes well, the first mystery will be resolved by the end of Chapter 5, and then the plot will be more linear for a bit. Also, I was good I edited Chapters 1-3. I will be doing more edits as I become better at writing, but for now the biggest issues are resolved. Now I can focus on Chapters 4 and 5.

A FEW NOTES FOR INTERNATIONAL READERS:

1: I live in Canada, not England. If I know I am ignorant of information pertaining to England and the UK, I research it, but I may still make mistakes, please let me know if something seems wrong.

2: This chapter contains references to prices of knitting/crocheting supplies. I based my pricing calculations off the website of the shop Knit With Attitude in London. I then adjusted for inflation between 1994 and 2019 and converted to Wizarding currency. I literally made a chart so I can research prices of just about anything right now and convert to 1994 British Wizarding currency. XD

A/N Update: While writing this chapter I passed 200 views and 100 visitors, which pleases me greatly. :-) It inspires me to keep improving and to keep all of you interested.

IMPORTANT: I write in my spare time between other activities. Updates will not be regular. They will occur when I have the ability to produce content that I feel is good enough to post.

Thank You,

Quillian)

Chapter 4: "Hovering Near Treacherous Waters"

**December 26, 1994, Professor Snape's Quarters around 1pm**

"Let us make a list, and then organise it by urgency and priority." Severus summoned parchment and quill as he spoke. Cam nodded thoughtfully.

"I'll write it. I'll need to practice writing with a quill." Severus handed over the writing implements after charming the quill to be self-inking. Cam stared at the parchment for a few moments before murmuring,

"I'm not quite sure where to begin."

"Albus won't throw you out on the street," Severus reminded her gently, "and you will most likely be staying at the Hogshead for a while, so food and shelter can wait. Start with what you need in order to work at a school."

"Right." Camille shook off her momentary paralysis. "I'll start at the beginning of a normal work day. When I get up. I suppose a bathrobe is a must, for warmth and decency."

"Don't bother with slippers yet, just use thick socks," Severus advised

"Good idea. Then let's suppose I take a full shower, so I would need soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, maybe moisturizer..."

The Potions Master jumped in again. "If we see a good deal, we will buy those but if not, use mine until we can brew you some."

"WE?"

"We. You will know your way around my lab if it's the last thing I do!" Cam smiled fondly at his emphasis.

"I suppose it would be expected of your girlfriend," she remarked.

Severus flushed slightly at the word 'girlfriend', but didn't comment, instead returning to the original project.

"Anything else you need to primp with? How about makeup?"

"Eventually I'll want some." She carefully added a new heading to her page for things she didn't want to forget but would not bother with for some time. It wasn't the first time she had used a quill but she was slow and clumsy with it. She added "pen and paper" to the "Miscellaneous" category on the list so she would have more variety of tools to write with, as she could see herself wanting to take a lot of notes in the coming weeks.

"Speaking of primping, though, I should get a brush, comb, and something to tie back my hair."

"True. And expect it to grow quite quickly once you are using properly brewed products on it." Severus smirked. Camille looked thrilled.

"Really? Wow that's awesome! I can't wait! I've been trying to grow it out FOREVER!"

Severus had to chuckle at her enthusiasm. "That's right, you did always take care to maximize its growth and health. Come to think of it, you used to concoct your own hair-care, didn't you? Yes, I think you will become a rather competent brewer by British standards, and I think you will enjoy the control it gives you over your own health and aesthetics."

"Thanks, Sev. Plus It will help me fit in to your world better if I can learn to do things the way the rest of Wizarding Britain does them."

The head of Slytherin nodded, his grin fading. He knew all too well the prejudices she would face, not being a traditional witch in the small insular community that was Wizarding Britain. In some ways her excuse of being from America would protect her by making her an exotic novelty, but at the end of the day there was little to no chance she would be accepted by most of the upper or middle class, and things would only be worse if the war with Voldemort erupted again.

"Next weekend we should go to Diagon Alley." He said abruptly. "We should see what Ollivander can do to provide you with a wand. I don't know how well you will be able to use one, but at least you can carry it to look less out of place."

"Severus, I suppose it doesn't really matter, but technically speaking is it better to be perceived as a squib or a Muggle in this world?"

"TECHNICALLY, in your case, it would be better to be perceived as a muggle, as would will spark less investigation, but you are neither. I am sure you have some magical ability, and I swear I will do all I can to help you get it recognised. You are a muggleborn witch who was educated in more of a coven-type style than a formal school."

"So, what is my...official...backstory, anyway?"

"All I have said is that you went to Italy in late August of 1990, and you did some busking there."

Camille made a face. "As if I would go to a country known for OPERA and sing for money. Oh well, no biggie. I guess the focus should be on discouraging anyone from digging into my background, cause if they even found anything it would make no sense. Let's see, I'm an orphan raised in foster care, no idea who my parents were. I left 'home' as early as possible to be independent. No formal schooling after High School due to finances, but I read a lot, and I've worked different service jobs which has given me a lot of experience. I'll keep the same birthday, but the year has to change, let's say 1968."

"What?" This last caught Severus off guard.

"I saw the calendar in the Headmaster's office. It seems I not only traveled to you from a parallel universe, I have traveled through time or something. Maybe my universe is out of sync with yours. Anyway, if I try to say I'm 6 years old, things are going to get complicated really fast..."

"Cam, dear," Severus' voice was deadpan, "things are already really complicated. At least you only crossed time and space once, I have done so twice. Remember, I was supposed to return from your universe to 1998, not 1994. I have memories of living here through the next three and a half years, up to and beyond my near death. Except, I am certain that it can be changed, as you are now here. I did some thinking, and my best guess is that from the moment we both arrived in this dimension, the timeline started to diverge from its alternate path. Moreover, since nothing has blown up, I conclude that such a divergence is safe and natural. I'm sure if we put our heads together we can build a much better future!"

"I would love that, although I don't know how much I can help. You were so hurt when we met, and I'm not just talking about the snakebite on your neck." Camille's eyes flashed. "I think I would take over this world myself if it would stop you going through that again!"

The Potions Master reached out and took her hands in his, moved that she cared so much about him. However, he wanted to keep the mood light, as they still had a lot to to that day. "Let us hope it doesn't come to that, although I am sure you would rule the world quite well." He smiled a bit at her. "I think, at some point we should tell Albus. I would rather have him helping us than trying to stop us, and he can be a bloody pain if he thinks someone else is keeping secrets from him or meddling in his affairs. For now though, let us finish this list."

"Alright," Camille lowered her eyes back to her paper. "So we'll see about a wand. Haha, Maybe he can make me a magic crochet hook instead of a wand? Anyway, back to my imaginary morning routine, after a shower, I would need clothes. What on IS the dress code for staff here, anyway?"

Severus paused to give the question some serious thought. He was not quite sure if there were any specifics for how staff were to dress. Thinking about his colleagues, he concluded there was a lot of flexibility offered, but where the limits to that flexibility might be he did not know. When he explained this, Cam asked,

"Could we ask your colleague, Professor... McGonagall, was it?"

"Good idea, I think we need a lady's input here."

A short floo call later, Minerva agreed to help, in fact she volunteered to join them on the shopping trip to ensure Camille was adequately outfitted. After shrinking down his spare winter cloak for the petite woman, Severus stole the list from Cam and added outerwear to it; after all, PVC rocker boots would not be adequate for a northern winter. The walk to Hogsmeade passed pleasantly enough. Severus pointed out the route for when she would be walking it herself. The shops that were open were quiet enough, since it was the day after Christmas.

Minerva had quite a few helpful suggestions on topics that Severus was ignorant of. He made mental notes of what she said about various cosmetics, so he could tweak recipes as needed. In the bookshop he bought a number of texts that Camille and he would find useful, while Minerva distracted her with notebooks and other administrative supplies, which the older witch paid for citing Hogwarts' duty to provide for staff. The older witch was quite sympathetic to Severus' desire to provide for his girlfriend, but she also respected Camille's fierce refusal to be coddled and looked down on just because she found herself in difficult financial straights.

Finally they reached the clothing stage of the shopping trip. Regrettably Hogsmeade did not have much, but a small odds and ends shop allowed Camille to purchase 2 bras that sort of fit. She was resigning herself to some discomfort until they could get to London when a thought struck her.

"Pardon me," she addressed the girl in the shop, "do you have any sewing supplies? I like to add a personal touch to my clothes."

"Sure! Actually we don't get much call for tha' sort o' thing so we got lots on clearance! Just over in tha' corner by th' door."

"Thanks! Wow, Sev, I could bloody KILL Sophia for taking my money right now, I would love to stock up! Oh well, here is a nice sewing kit, that should help with clothing choices..." She mused, browsing through bins of needles, thread, yarn, crochet hooks and knitting needles, and other oddments pertaining to textile arts.

The Head of Slytherin smiled a sly smile and called over the Head of Gryffindor.

"Minerva, isn't Albus always saying how much he adores unique socks and accessories? "

"I suppose, but why do you ask?"

"Because right here we have a fabulous investment opportunity. If we supply her the materials, I'm sure Camille would be willing to take a commission or two to create something for him as a gift from all of us."

While Minerva was possibly the opposite of a Slytherin, she was not a stupid or slow woman. She understood in a heartbeat what her colleague was getting at: a generous yet honourable way for his young lady to take advantage of the rock bottom prices on the needle craft supplies she clearly coveted. Plus of course it would be a gracious Thank You for the Headmaster for his kindness toward her. She nodded and winked at Severus to indicate she would handle it.

"You did mention you sew and knit, didn't you?" Minerva inquired of Camille. "Do you knit socks?"

"Yes, although I need instructions."

"Wonderful! Could I order some from you? The headmaster would love some and it would make a lovely gift. How much would you charge?"

Camille looked thoughtful for a moment. She picked up a ball of yarn with pictures of socks on the label. She slid the label off and peeked inside it to consult the instructions written on the inner side of the label.

"I'm not too familiar with British currency yet, but I usually charge around 2 or 3 times the price of materials. I'll say 3 times since these materials are at a reduced price, and I suppose you do not want reduced price labour." A small smile curled at the corner of her mouth. "Any particular colours you would like to request?"

The two witches selected some multi-coloured sock yarn in bright cheerful colours, and some other yarns in different textures and colours. The regular prices had been anywhere from 1 to 2 galleons, but now all yarn was listed at 5, 6, or 7 sickles. They also added to the basket set of different sizes of knitting needles, and a set of needles for the socks, as well as a couple of crochet hooks and some extra thread to go with the sewing kit. Then they headed back to the small clothing section, secure in the knowledge that fit and style could be improved as needed.

By the time they exhausted all the shopping potential in the village, most things were checked off the list. Severus was worried that they had not been able to find footwear, but there was not much he could do about it. He would do his best to layer spells for comfort and balance onto her boots, but he suspected they would not hold up long. At least they could go to London in a few days. Minerva had thoroughly moved past her reservations about adding the rock singer to the Hogwarts staff, and was enthusiastically getting to know the other woman. She explained that part of her reticence had come from it being her job as Deputy to curb Albus' tendencies towards impulsive ideas. Minerva was quickly joining Severus in appreciating the depth of intelligence and humour Cam displayed, as well as an intuitive class and poise the young lady possessed.

"My Dear, might I make a suggestion, which I hope you will not find offensive?"

"Of course Minerva, we are colleagues of a sort, now, and I'm sure you have a wealth of experience I would be honoured if you would share."

"Severus has said you two would be doing further shopping in London, however in the meantime, would you like to borrow a few things from me? I would hate for your potential to be undervalued..."

Cam understood in a flash what Minerva hesitated to say and finished for her: "...because many WILL judge a book by its cover and take their first impressions at face value. As I said, I would be DELIGHTED to have the benefit of your assistance in navigating British magical ladies fashion - I am in NO way offended - and in fact it would greatly facilitate our shopping later if I can test out a few garments in a real professional context."

Minerva reflected on this interaction as they walked. While she was becoming quite fond of Cam, she wondered how her easy-going, polite nature would fare alongside Severus' harsher one in the long term. While he seemed softer since the Yule ball, it likely wouldn't last past the first Gryffindor Potions class.

"Severus?" Cam asked. "You mentioned your godson to me a couple of times. When will I meet him?"

"Damn!" Came the surprising reply. "In all this excitement I forgot about him! Cam, would you mind if I talked to him first? He has likely never dreamed he would ever need to share my attention, not too mention he was raised to look down on non-Purebloods."

"I don't mind at all, Sev, it makes sense."

Minerva added, "The sooner the better, Severus, the gossip from the ball is making its rounds, best he hear it from you. How about I borrow your girlfriend for an hour or two, and I'll send her back for dinner?"

"Please," Cam protested, "no need to trouble yourself, Professor, you have given us plenty of your time and energy today!"

"It's no trouble to help the pair of you out, and if Albus asks I can always report on your progress preparing for your job." The Deputy Headmistress' tone was firm and brooked no argument.

December 26, 1994, Hogwarts castle, 3:30pm*

Back at the castle, the ladies climbed to Minerva's rooms, located near her office, and the Head of Slytherin hurried to the dungeons to find Draco Malfoy. The blond teenager was in the common room, and seemed pleased to be asked to visit his head of House for tea. When the two Slytherins were seated in Severus' sitting room, with tea and biscuits, the Potions Master began.

"Draco, I invited you today both to spend time with me, and because you may be hearing some rumours concerning me and I want to set the record straight."

"It's always a pleasure, Uncle Severus, and while I have not left the Common room, I had noticed a some extra whispering going on." The young Malfoy's words were smooth, his tone neutral, although his posture and lack of sneer revealed he was rather relaxed alone with his Godfather.

"Well, Dragon, some years ago I met a young lady while abroad, and developed quite a fondness for her. We drifted apart for a while, however last night we met again, and she has agreed to be my... girlfriend. She will be staying in England for the foreseeable future."

Draco Malfoy stared in surprise at the man he considered a second father. Severus had never seemed interested in romance. Draco's parents had occasionally alluded to an unfortunate failed relationship in the past, but never anything in the teenager's memory. Then again, if the lady was not English, they might not have known about her. He had not yet processed all the ramifications of the man's announcement.

"A girlfriend, Uncle? Who is she? where is she from? Do my parents know her?"

"Her name is Camille. She is from America, originally, although she has done some travelling. Your parents have not yet met her, as she has not been in England long. Now, Dragon, this is where things may get difficult for us. While she is a very intelligent, genteel, classy lady, she is an orphan. Not much is known about her...lineage. She may be half-blood, or muggle-born, and her magical education is currently very different from what English witches get. Of course the matter of education can easily be rectified. However the rest, not so much. Personally I think she is a half-blood, based on my assessment of her magic, however due to cultural differences and political matters, any search into her roots would be prohibitively difficult, for no real gain."

This information made the teen pause and think. With most youth, an obsession with what his parents thought might be juvenile and suggest a lack of character, in that case of Draco Malfoy it was a survival tactic. His parents were both extremely influential in the wizarding world and what they thought mattered a great deal to a great many individuals. In this case, what they thought could destroy his relationship with his Uncle Severus. He only started considering his own opinions of the matter secondarily.

Did he really care who or what type of person his Godfather dated? He couldn't immediately think of any significant reasons why he should care. His godfather had always acted with sophistication and class, at least in any situation that required it. Perhaps not the polish of an aristocrat, but Draco personally thought that the Potions Master had done a good job rising above his humble background. Lucius and Narcissa tended to assume that one's birth dictated one's entire life, however Draco was skeptical. He believed that birth and background had a major impact on the challenges one would face, and many would be limited by those challenges, but he saw enough exceptions to his parents rigid outlook to be more flexible in his thinking. Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle, for example, came from pure-blood stock and had no particular brains, looks, or magical talents. And consider the Weasleys: they were pure-bloods, but without the resources to cultivate that advantage so they had no status to speak of, nor did they seem to even recognise what might be lacking in their lives.

The Head of Slytherin sat quietly letting his godson think things through. He sipped his tea and felt a touch of pride that the young man had not exploded into drama immediately. Perhaps it was because he felt safe in Severus' quarters, with no one around to risk injuring his pride. The teen mechanically ate a biscuit, clearly deep in thought.

Draco's mind circled back to the probable reactions of his parents. Narcissa would be disappointed not to have a high society lady to spend time with, and that there would be no potential for children she could justify any interest in. She would likely become cold toward Severus, partly due to her own reactions, and mainly due to Lucius's reactions. Lucius. He was so incredibly protective of his family and family honour. While Draco was curious what sort of woman Severus might be interested in, his father would likely reject anyone low-class out of hand. Draco realised, with a spark of annoyance that Severus was in an impossible position. As a half-blood it was unlikely he could actually secure a marriage with a pure-blood, and Lucius would look down on just about anyone else. Plus, being an eccentric potions genius bachelor gave Severus social leeway that he might not have as a married man. Whether or not it really was Lucius' business who Severus dated, the Malfoy Lord would make it his business.

"Uncle..." Draco trailed off, unsure how to ask all the questions in his mind. His thoughts were speeding up and he was starting to panic. He wanted to ask, 'How do we stop my father from banishing you from the presence of all Malfoys?', but it had been drilled into him from Day 1: No one stops Lucius Malfoy.

"Yes, Dragon?"

"How... How... How could you? I mean... My father..." The teen's voice was rising to a furious volume, as fear and jealousy crashed over him like waves "Why would you do this? What's so special about this girl, anyway? Why..."

"Draco, take a deep breath, just like I taught you. Breathe in to a count of 4, hold to 4, out to 4. In to 4, hold to 4, out to 4." Draco obeyed, and years of meditation training kicked in, just before tears started welling in his eyes. Severus leaned forward and placed his hands firmly on his Godson's knees, to help ground him.

"Draco." Severus' voice was soft and deep. "I understand the risk, and I understand your concerns. I do respect your father very much, however in this matter his opinion is less important than mine, and hers. I understand the risk that he may disapprove and try to cause trouble. Camille understands as well, that you are very important to me.

"To be clear: I will not leave her, particularly right now when she is recently arrived in a country not her own after spending months trying to come here to see me. I was hoping if you can bring yourself to give her a chance, that you might help me educate her in the ways of wizarding society. I won't pretend she has any social standing to speak of, but I think she could earn some. It would help if we can teach her enough that her demeanor is inoffensive enough that no one questions her background. I am not asking you to lie to your father, but perhaps to present your information judiciously?"

Draco digested Severus' words. While the fear was not entirely banished, he did feel a lot better having a plan presented to him.

"Well, Uncle Severus, I would like to start by meeting her. As you say, I won't lie to my father. But I do feel that potential is not fully dictated by birth. If you think we can avoid offending Father, I am willing to try. I just don't want to lose you, and I will fight for you. I just hope that doesn't make things worse."

For a moment Severus could not meet Draco's eyes, as he felt afraid he would be forced to choose between his godson and his girlfriend. Then pushed the fear away, it was by no means certain Lucius would cause trouble, especially if he was given no reason to bother. He would likely never meet Camille unless she did anything to bring herself to his attention. He smiled slightly at the young man.

"Dragon, I would be honoured for you to meet my girlfriend. She has applied for a position assisting the staff here, and she is currently meeting with the Deputy Headmistress to ensure she is adequately prepared for he role. Perhaps we could all dine together here?"

The young Malfoy's eyes widened slightly at the knowledge that she was in the castle and a meeting could be imminent. However he rose to the occasion and nodded.

"Certainly."

"In the meantime, would you like to tell me how your holidays are going?" Severus hoped to ease any fear or jealousy by giving his godson full attention until dinner, without even discussing school or homework unless asked. The time passed pleasantly until around 6, when the floo chimed and Minerva was telling him it was time for dinner and inquiring if he would be in the Great Hall.

"I have plans for dinner, Minerva, with Draco and Camille. Is she ready to return?"

"She will be shortly. I will let her know you have company." With a smile and a wink, the Deputy left the floo. Severus left the connection open for the moment, assuming Camille would be joining them momentarily. However it was nearly 15 minutes later when the floo flared green and Professor McGonnagall announced Cam qwould be coming through. Severus, understanding the subtext in the warning, stepped close to the fire to catch her if she stumbled. The floo flared again and the Potions Master had an armful of woman. As soon as she stepped away from him he had to force himself not to act unduly shocked and appreciative at her new appearance.

To the simple shirt and pants she had been wearing earlier, she had added a high waisted skirt that flared to her ankles, and a set of simple robes over it all. Her hair was now brushed and tied back with a ribbon. The style was definitely not recent, but she managed to make it look retro chic rather than old and frumpy. And Merlin, there was something stunningly attractive about seeing her dressed like a British witch.

She smiled her thanks at him for catching her, then turned to where Draco waited standing by the table which had been cleared and laid for dinner. He regarded her coolly. Severus tore his eyes from his girlfriend and performed introductions

"Draco, may I present my girlfriend, Camille? Camille, my godson, Draco Malfoy."

Camille smiled and inclined her head slightly while stepping forward, hand outstretched. Draco shook it firmly and his expression thawed slightly. They all sat down to dinner, and after the first few bites, Can shot Severus a sharp look, indicating he should choose a topic of dinner conversation. However, Draco intercepted the look, and jumped in.

"Miss? Professor Snape mentioned you were going to be working here, will you be teaching?"

"While my terms of employment are still being finalised, I will be assisting mainly the administrative staff with the extra duties entailed in the Tournament here, and also potentially rendering assistance with translations for the French visitors."

"You speak French?" Draco managed not to sound too skeptical.

"Yes. While I did not learn in France, I'm happy to help if appropriate." A small smile crept across her face. "Otherwise, the Deputy has been filling me in how things are run here. I'm quite excited to begin getting settled here in England."

"How did you two meet?"

"I was doing some travelling in Italy, and we met in a cafe." Cam kept her answer short to avoid contradicting Severus on details. He came to her rescue, fortunately.

"I was doing some research and due to my paperwork, my table was the only one with an empty chair when she arrived. Since she introduced herself with a promise not to spill tea on my work, I felt I could trust her to sit near me." His tone was light, and the mood lightened further. As they continued to chat throughout the meal, Draco gradually opened up. He saw how Severus looked at the woman opposite him, like a precious treasure, and he wanted that to last. As well, the woman in question was lady-like, with a gentle smile and wicked sense of humour to be glimpsed behind her manners. He found himself agreeing with his godfather that she was a good match for him, and that provided she did nothing overtly offensive there should be no reason for his family to object and meddle. He made a mental not to keep a sharp eye on the situation, but found himself inclined to let his worries fade to the back of his mind.

After dinner, Draco returned to the common room to work on some homework, and to think about what he had learned about Camille. Meanwhile the couple settled down for a quiet evening with books by the fire, after Cam organised her new purchases.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

A/N: Wow, what a chapter! Longest one yet, I think! Not planning on consistently writing chapters this long, it will depend a bit on the pacing of the story.


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